CAMDEN WATERFRONT, NJ – December 30, 2009 – The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial wants a supporter to bring in 2010 with a bang – literally! The Big J has launched an online auction for bids to fire the ship’s portside (Philadelphia-side) 5” gun at midnight on New Year’s!
“Our friends in Philadelphia do not have to worry,” explained Jim Schuck, CEO of the Battleship. “We are not using live ammo. But the blast will be loud and very visible, especially for guests at Penn’s Landing at Midnight on New Year’s.”

Lakewentworth Fireworks Photo Princeton
CAMDEN WATERFRONT, NJ – December 16, 2009 – The Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial wants a supporter to bring in 2010 with a bang – literally! The Big J has launched an online auction for bids to fire the ship’s portside (Philadelphia-side) 5” gun at midnight on New Year’s!
“Our friends in Philadelphia do not have to worry,” explained Jim Schuck, CEO of the Battleship. “We are not using live ammo. But the blast will be loud and very visible, especially for guests at Penn’s Landing at Midnight on New Year’s.”
The Battleship, which will have her decks open for both the 6pm and Midnight fireworks displays on New Year’s Eve, are allowing guests to bid for the firing of the 5” gun online at battleshipnewjersey.cmarket.com. The highest bid at 11:59 pm on December 30 will win the chance to sit in the gun mount, pull the trigger to fire the gun at midnight and begin the New Year’s fireworks display. The winning bidder’s family will also gain access to board the Battleship and watch the midnight fireworks. Finally the winner will also get a special certificate to commemorate this unique experience.
Presented by Dietz & Watson, the Battleship will also allow families to spend the First Night of 2010 aboard the ship as part of the award-winning Overnight Encampment program.
Whether you’re staying for a few hours or the whole night, the Battleship is the perfect place to ring in the New Year and have a front-row seat to watch the fireworks displays over the Delaware River.
The New Year’s Overnight Encampment gives families from throughout the region the opportunity to spend the first night of the New Year aboard the Battleship New Jersey and take in the best view of both the 6 pm and the midnight fireworks displays over the Delaware River. The Encampment offers families the opportunity to sleep in the bunks where the Battleships’ crew once slept, enjoy dinner and breakfast served from the chow line, tour the Battleship, ride in the 4D Flight Simulator and see the midnight fireworks display from the Battleship’s deck while enjoying a glass of a sparkling beverage to toast the New Year! Cost per person for this overnight encampment is $60.95. Call 1-866-877-6262 ext. 203 to reserve your bunk. Reservations must be made in advance and include children between the ages of 6 and 18.
For those interested in coming aboard to just watch fireworks, the Battleship New Jersey will open at 4 pm for the 6 pm fireworks show, and 10:00 pm for the midnight fireworks show. Guests will have access to the forecastle (forward deck) and portside decks. Music, food and bar service (refreshments available for purchase) will be featured. Tickets are available for an $8 donation ($5 for members) and can be purchased online at www.battleshipnewjersey.org , via phone by calling 1-866-877-6262 ext 108. Tickets will also be available at the ship on New Year’s Eve.
The Battleship is also offering a special Tour and Fireworks combo for 6 pm fireworks show on New Year’s. Guests can enjoy a self-guided tour of the ship, departing by 3 pm, and then take their place at the forecastle of the Battleship for the 6 pm fireworks. The price is $18 for adults and $15 for children under 12. A special Family Tour and Fireworks combo will offer families two free children tour and fireworks combo tickets with the purchase of two adult tour and fireworks combo tickets. Tour and Fireworks combo tickets are available at the Battleship’s Ticket Office up to 3 pm on Dec. 31.
NJ Transit’s Riverline trains will be running on extended service, to allow visitors to take the train directly to the ship. Visitors are reminded that no chairs or strollers are allowed aboard the ship. New Years Eve Festivities on the Forecastle tickets do not include a tour of the ship. Visit www.Riverline.com for details.
Dietz & Watson, Inc., a long-time supporter of the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial, is a family owned and operated business, founded in 1939, and has facilities in Philadelphia, PA, Delanco, NJ, Baltimore, MD, Greenville, SC and Corfu, NY, with more then 800 employees. Dietz & Watson Premium Deli Meats and Artisan Cheeses can be found in the finest supermarkets and neighborhood delis in 42 states and selected foreign markets.
Berthed on the Camden Waterfront across the Delaware River from Center City Philadelphia, the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial is a non-profit historic ship museum that offers guided and audio tours daily from 9:30 am to 3 pm. Support the Battleship by buying a Brick! Personalized bricks will be placed on the Battleship’s Memorial Pier. Purchase a brick at $100 and help support the Big J. The Battleship New Jersey allows visitors a variety of ways to experience the ship, including overnight encampments for youth groups and families, special group and student tours and event rentals with a full catering menu. For more information on the ship’s many programs, visit http://www.battleshipnewjersey.org.
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The amazing photograph for this feature is by Flickr member Lakewentworth aka Peter Roome. It was published under a Creative Commons License. Below you can see some more of his work, or you can see much more of his work on his website that I just found: RoomePhotography.com.


More New Jersey Fireworks Images:
Fireworks in Princeton a photo by Lakewentworth
Fireworks in Princeton a photo by Lakewentworth 2